There’s time to relax later...

If there’s one thing you won’t find yourself doing it’s lazing about. You may find yourself collapsed on a sun lounger in the afternoon, but that’s likely to be a form of well-deserved recovery from activities at Club Adakoy, a new resort where people get up early.

It nestles in seclusion on Adakoy Island (really a peninsula) across a wide bay from the resort of Marmaris in south-west Turkey and, with a slogan of “relax as hard as you like”, you can do as much or as little as you want.

Sports are part of the Club Board package but they won’t pressurise anyone to take part. You can prostrate yourself before the sun every day if you wish, but with top-class facilities and trainers on hand, it seems ridiculous not to get out and about. It was the first holiday where I have set my alarm for 7am and not regretted it.

Days here are broadly structured into two halves. Mornings are mainly about learning. If, like me, you’re a complete novice, the staff take you in hand and patiently take you through your chosen activity.

I decided to tackle windsurfing. There were four 90-minute lessons on the course and at the end of two, I was deemed competent enough to go out on my own. By the end of the week, I was cursing the fact that the wind would not stay in the right direction for me. Even at the beginning of June, the sparkling clear Med waters were warm enough to make a wetsuit unnecessary.

It was a similar experience for those who went sailing. The resort has its own extensive fleet of boats, from tiny dinghies sailed by one person, through catamarans designed for two and up to lively BB3s, which require more.

After classes, it’s time for a well-deserved lunch. Then you either go out and practise your respective craft or try another watersport requiring no tuition, such as kayaking (there are daily “safaris” around the bay) or stand-up paddleboarding, a gentle exercise which tests your balance and stretches your stomach muscles.

Waterskiing is also popular. Two speedboats take people skiing or wakeboarding around the deep blue waters of the bay and several people I met were on the holiday mainly for that purpose.

I retired ruefully after a series of graceless face-plants into the water, but one of my friends, who struggled with windsurfing, was a natural from the start.

All this takes place in a well-defined sailing zone off the resort, which is quiet and peaceful apart from the daily invasion of tourist cruisers from Marmaris.

There’s always a safety boat on hand should anyone get into difficulty – or even if you’re exhausted and want a lift back to the beach for a lie down.

If you’ve had enough of the water and want to try something different, the land-based activities stretch past simply propping up the bar, though that is an option if your arms and legs simply won’t do anything else.

But if you have any energy left, there are instructor-led mountain biking expeditions on most days, which range in ferocity from taking the ferry to Marmaris and gently promenading along the sea front and browsing the shops, to frankly insane jaunts up the surrounding volcanic hills that leave you breathless and practically broken.

The resort also has a couple of tennis courts and a full-time tennis coach. Whatever your standard, you can turn up for a free group session or pay extra for a solo lesson.

You can also hire out courts to play with friends and join in the weekly competition.

If you want some pampering, gentler pursuits include a visit to the spa and yoga classes (not included in the cost of the holiday), as well as daily wind-down stretching groups to straighten you out again. There’s even a small gym, though demand seemed generally low.

The Kids’ Club is probably one of the main selling points of for young families. There is extensive childcare available from early in the morning, for parents who have booked watersports lessons, or it start later and run into the night. So parents who have looked after their children during the day can enjoy an evening of relaxation and take the 10-minute boat trip across the bay into Marmaris.

Or you can opt for what I found to be a real highlight of the holiday: taking an evening cruise around Marmaris Bay in a vessel drawn from the resort’s fleet of 34-foot pleasure yachts.

Under the watchful gaze of a skipper, you spend several hours cruising around the extensive volcanic bay, enjoying some wine, maybe taking a dive into the cool waters from the deck and hopefully catching the beginning of the sunset.

Much as I enjoyed the exhausting watersports, there was something nice about getting away onto the water, dropping the anchor and just taking a deep breath, before returning to begin it all again.

Getting there

David Wilcock was a guest at the four-star Club Adakoy in Turkey run by Neilson Beachclubs, part of Thomas Cook, which offers seven-night stays from £449, saving £200, in early May. Price based on two adults sharing a twin/double room. Peak season prices from £919. Package includes return flights from Manchester, transfers, breakfast, daily lunch and four evening meals. Price also includes free tennis and watersports coaching for adults and children, and kids’ clubs. Neilson reservations: 0845 070 3460 and www.neilson.co.uk.